Dearest Moth Here I am again, and Week 2 is done and dusted. I definitely had a better week, mostly by over-preparing every lesson and doing a good deal of photocopying! My classes are getting used to me as a new person in the college. I'm trying to get to know the people in our little corner of the school but I'm still finding the 'blunt' approach rather rude! It would never have worked at my old school but this is new territory, it's boys, it's the Hutt and I need to just accept it *g* People say things outright and then say, "I'm blunt, that's my way!"I am realising the challenge of teaching literacy to Year 7-8, how important it will be for them to get good at reading, writing and spelling. I need to do more research about how to set up successful groups for learning! I think what I resent the most at the moment is the heat, it's so hot here, 24degC every single day. You'd think, my classroom block was built in 1950, with those drop out angled windows that don't let in any direct air flow. How come after all these years no-one has said, let's put in some lift up/sash windows! No money, I guess! I'm typing here close to midnight and it's SO HOT! But everyone is out for the night and if I open all the windows I'll get real moths flapping about my ears! I was teaching the year 7s and 8s about getting closer to God and one of them said that God doesn't talk to us any more. I said perhaps we just stopped listening! Sometimes it's a comment like that that can ignite a faith I've been starting to bury out of cynicism. It's so hot here at night, I've been sitting out on our new garden furniture (all macrocarpa) in the dark, staring up at the stars and considering the presence of God. Not a bad way to prepare for bed! I have a little boy in my class who sucks his thumb when he's stressed. He has all the ADHD, Aspergers, Autism, anxiety labels and I am hoping he can be happy in my class. He loves me so far!! And seems pretty normal to me. Maybe after raising my own wild child... So I need to get some sleep. Monday and I'm so tired already! Still, Tuesday is a good day on the timetable. One day I'll even write again... when I'm totally happy again. I think that'll come soon, when I have whitewashed my last school experiences under a good layer of thick white paint that comes free with a new job! The challenge forges aheadTakahe xxx